Lovely Curses, Damned Lies
by Smile Life Away
Summary: Written for the Greek Mythology Challenge, Pandora's Little Box of Terrors Challenge. Cassandra Zabini would never love again. For Morghen


**A/N: Written for the Pandora's Little Box of Terrors Challenge, by mew-tsubaki - Spite**

**Written for the Greek Mythology Challenge – Apollo and Cassandra**

**Written for Morghen, Happy Birthday**

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They were all _him_ in one way or another. So they all deserved to die. Every – single –one.

They all had his eyes, or his hair, they either slipped up and mentioned his name when looking at the stars, or they called her son "little king." And – if nothing else – they were wealthy just like _he_ had been.

They all deserved to die.

Call it spite, call it malice, call it an unhealthy need for revenge. She would avenge her pain at their expense.

Seven men.

Because seven is the most powerful and the most magical number, because she fell in love with him in _his _seventh year, because they lasted seven months, because he'd said _that _phrase seven times.

_I love you -I love you - I love you -I love you -I love you- I love you-I love you_

And he didn't mean it once. But she believed him every time.

**I. Slytherin Common Room. **

She watches him walk in the Common Room as if he's carrying an immense burden on his shoulders. He makes his way to a dark green couch and collapses on it his ebony hair splaying across the arm as he closes his eyes.

She puts down the Charms book, she's not reading, and walks over to him with cautious steps as she brushes a loose strand of hair out of her face.

"Are you all right?" She asks. And his eyes fly open, and he tugs at the sleeve of his robe before realizing something – that he doesn't share – and leaves it be.

"You're…" he gives up, sits up, and motions for her to sit beside him.

"I'm Cassandra." She explains – taking the seat. "You're the Slytherin Seeker."

"Apollo," he comments with a dry laugh. When she gives him a blank stare he smirks a little bit. "I'm Regulus, Regulus Black." He sticks out his hand and she shakes it.

"Hi, Regulus," she responds while trying to suppress a smile that's fighting on her face.

**II. Prefect's Bathroom.**

She's not exactly sure what the rules are for who can enter the Prefect's bathroom, but he assures her it belongs to anyone who knows the password. Of course it doesn't matter to him; he's a Quidditch captain he's _allowed _to be in here.

She doesn't argue though, there is something enticing about breaking the rules, something she likes. It isn't something she shares with him because she's pretty sure he knows.

"Regulus," she asks when he stops kissing her long enough for her to breathe. "Do you love me?"

"Of course I love you," he reasons and pulls her back to him.

It's _Lie number one, _but she doesn't even consider that possibility. She doesn't see that he's lost himself to the darkness and is looking for something-anything- other than facing the reality. She just sees _them_.

**III. Slytherin House: Boys' Dormitories**

Mid-afternoon and the other three boys are outside. But Regulus is sitting on his bed, lounging against the headboard, while he stares intently at a book, which he's propped up so she can't see what it says.

She's sitting beside him trying her hardest to concentrate on her reading assignment for _History of Magic, _but it's so boring and she knows the sun is shining outside, and she can't – for the life of her – understand why he insists on staying inside.

"Aren't you bored?" Exasperated she tosses the book and turns to him, but he doesn't even look up. "Regulus!"

"What?" There's a glint of horror in his grey eyes when he looks up at her, and quickly, he closes the book. "What'd you say?"

"Aren't you bored?" She repeats. "Don't you want to…go outside or something?"

He sighs, a deep, painful sigh, a sigh of exhaustion. "I love you." He says, "you know how much I love you, right?"

She doesn't understand why he's saying this now, but she nods and he leans forward and places a kiss on her lips before tossing the book and standing up.

"Let's go outside."

_Lie number two. _Not love, a distraction.

**IV. Number 12, Grimmauld Place**

His mother isn't home, which is the only reason they get away with it. She doesn't pay much attention to the newspaper clippings that hang on his bedroom walls, or ask why the other bedroom on the floor is deserted. She doesn't mention that he looks unwell, or that his face his drawn. Instead she just comments on his taste in decorations. Specifically his color scheme –

"Just because Slytherin colors are green and silver doesn't mean you can't have a bit of happiness in your bedroom."

He laughs when she says it, a hollow, dry laugh that turns into genuine mirth filled laughter and then he's crying and she's not sure if it's because he's laughing so hard or because he's upset.

"I love you," he says between chuckles.

_Three._

And then he pulls her towards him and down onto his Slytherin green sheets.

Later, when they're laying side-by-side far away from their jumbled clothes he says it again.

"I love you."

_Four._

**V. Hogwarts Lake**

She finds him yelling profanities in the sky and the collapsing on the ground and crying, no sobbing, heart-wrenching sobs that rack through his entire body.

"Are you all right?" She asks him sitting on the ground beside where he lies - face up to the sky, tears running down his cheeks.

"So we've come full circle," he murmurs to himself not expecting her to hear, but she does.

"Why'd you say Apollo?" She asks, "Why'd you say your name was Apollo?"

"So I'd have a consolation when you refused me," he explains as if expecting her to understand. "And then I wouldn't feel so bad about cursing you."

She stares at him blankly as an answer.

"You'll understand eventually," he says and – reaching up an arm around her neck – pulls her down so that he can kiss her.

"I love you," she murmurs before he can press his mouth against her own.

"I love you too."

_Five._

**VI. An Empty Charms Classroom**

She doesn't understand why he's dragged her here. After all, it's two in the morning and the term ends tomorrow. Tomorrow he'll have graduated Hogwarts and she'll be alone.

He takes a seat on a bare desk and she sits down beside him, brushes away his dark hair and kisses him on the cheek.

He doesn't move.

"I've cursed you," he whispers finally and turns to face her. "I wanted you, I needed you, and you didn't reject me, you came willingly. All you wanted was for me to love you…" his voice fades out. "I _didn't _love you**. **I just said '_I love you´ _because that's what you wanted to hear. That's what you needed to hear."

She stares at him, unmoving, as hot tears rush down her cheeks. _He doesn't mean it. He can't mean it. He loves her! He loves her!_ But really she should just be counting.

_Six._ Because even when he's repeating his own words it has an effect on her,

"But you said…"

"I needed you, Cassandra," he admits. "You helped me forget, forget everything, forget _this."_ He holds out the Dark Mark in front of her and she runs two fingers across it.

"Will you say it again?" She whimpers.

"Say what?"

"Say you love me," it will only hurt more in the end. But now, _now,_ she needs him to say it.

"I love you," he says plainly staring straight into her eyes. _Seven_. "And now I've cursed you to never love again."

Standing up he walks out of the deserted Charms classroom, but she stays. She brushes the tears away but doesn't move.

He's right. He has cursed her. She never will love again.

But more than that she will hate him forever, and others will suffer.

Seven men.

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Please Review :)

Not Betad sorry :)


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